Dental instrument with detachable matrix band clamping block



April 16, 1968 a; F. TOFFLEMIRE 3,37

DENTAL INSTRUMENT WITH DETACHABLE MATRIX BAND CLAMPING BLOCK Filed Aug. 22, 19s? :El [5: 2L

I NVENT'OR.

lg BENJAMIN F-TOFFLEMIRE '4 B ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,377,705 DENTAL INSTRUMENT WITH DETACHABLE MATRIX BAND CLAMPING BLOCK Benjamin F. Tofllemire, 41301 Crest Drive, Hemet, Calif. 92343 Filed Aug. 22, 1967, Ser. No. 662,388 7 Claims. (Cl. 32-63) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A dental instrument with detachable matrix band clamping block having a supporting handle provided with a head at a forward end thereof, the head having a saddle into which a detachable clamping block may be removably inserted. This block has a housing that is slotted for receiving overlapped end portions of a looped matrix band, and a crimping blade is provided by forming interlocking crimps in the band, when an operating handle of the instrument is actuated.

Summary An object of this invention is to provide a dental instrument with detachable matrix band clamping block which may be readily used for cirmping overlapped end portions of a looped matrix band after the latter has been drawn around a patients tooth, with the clamping block firmly holding the band in place.

More specifically described, it is proposed to provide a dental instrument having a supporting handle that is formed at its forward end with a block-holding head, the latter having a saddle into which a housing of the clamping block may be inserted. This housing has a crimping blade swingably secured thereto, and a slide is carried by the supporting handle and may be interconnected to the blade for actuating the latter, the slide being connected by a lever arm with an operating handle which is swingably secured to the supporting handle.

Another object of the invention is to construct the head on the supporting handle and the housing on the clamping block in such a manner that the latter will be held in proper position relative to the head at all times.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means operable for ejecting the clamping block from the saddle when the instrument is to be removed from the patients mouth, leaving the clamping block in engagement with the overlapped end portions of the looped matrix band.

It is further proposed to provide a dental instrument wherein tremendous force may be applied to the crimping blade when the operating handle is closed upon the supporting handle, both handles at this time being locked by a self-locking toggle arrangement.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds, and the novel features will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Brief description of the drawing For a better understanding of the invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of my dental instrument with detachable matrix band clamping block, the operating handle being shown in open position;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view looking at the gingival aspect of the block-holding head, this view being taken along the plane 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged elevational view of the detachable clamping block;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but disclosing the 3,377,705 Patented Apr. 16, 1968 ope-rating handle swung into closed position, and the block being clamped to overlapped end portions of a matrix band;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the plane 5-5 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of FIG. 4, and further showing a banded tooth.

While I have shown only the preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that various changes, or modifications, may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit thereof.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring now to the drawing in detail, I have shown a supporting handle designated generally at A provided with a block-holding head B at a forward end thereof, this head having a saddle 10 extending thereinto from a gingival (gum) edge thereof that is indicated at 11. Moreover, a detachable clamping block C may be removably inserted into this saddle and it has a housing 112 formed with slots 13 therein and into which overlapped end portions 14 of a looped matrix band D may be inserted (see FIG. 6). This band may be drawn firmly around the contour of a banded tooth E by any suitable traction instrument, or matrix retainer, engaging with the extended end portions 14 of the b and, prior to clamping the block C to the band ends.

It will be noted that a crimping blade 15 is swingably secured to the housing by a pintle pin 16, the housing 12 being substantially U-shaped in horizontal section and the blade 15 being disposed between the sides 17 of the housing (see FIGS. 2, 3 and 5). This blade has a tongue 18 at its forward end edge that is reduced in width as compared with the main portion of the blade (see FIGS. 2 and S), and this tongue is movable to engage with the overlapped end portions 14 of the band D to form interlocking crimps 19 therein, when the blade 15 is swung in a counterclockwise direction in FIGS. 1 and 3, thus locking the clamping block to the matrix band. Of course, the blade 15 may be swung in the opposite direction to free the band for removal from the head B.

As disclosed in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, a slide 20 is carried by the supporting handle A and it has a lug 21 depending therefrom and being guided for back and forth movement in a slot 22 fas'hiined in the handle A. A crosshead 23 is provided at the bottom of this lug and bears against the underside of this handle. The slide 20 is movable toward and away from the head B.

For the purpose of advancing and retracting the slide 20, an operating handle F is swingably attached by a pintle pin 24 to a lug 25 provided on the supporting handle A, and the handle F may be moved into open position (see FIG. 1), or into closed position (see FIG. 4). Moreover, a lever arm 26 is mounted to extend lengthwise relative to the forward portion of the handle A, and the rear end of this lever arm is secured by a pintle pin 26' to the operating handle F in offset relation to the pintle pin 24, while the forward end of this lever arm is attached by a pintle pin 27 to the slide 20, and thus movement of the handle F will actuate the slide.

In its structural details, the head B on the supporting handle A defines front and rear fingers 28 and 29, respectively, that border the saddle 10, the front finger 28 having a concave groove 30 fashioned in its inner surface (see FIG. 5), and the rear finger 29 having a slot 31 extending therethrough. The convex edge 32 of the clamping block C fits into the concave groove 3d of the front finger 28 (see FIGS. 2 and 5), and the crimping blade 15 extends rearwardly through the slot 31 of the rear finger 29 and is guided by the walls of this slot, whereby the clamping block C will be held in proper position in the saddle at all times. The convex edge 32 of the housing 12 is disposed on the distal aspect 33 of the banded tooth E, while the straight rear edges 34 of the housing 12 bear against the rear finger 29 on the mesial aspect 35 of the banded tooth (see FIG. 6). This arrangement will serve to orient the clamping block C with respect to the blockholding head B.

It will be seen that the crimping blade is provided with a limit stop 36 in the shape of a hook that engages with the upper edge 37 of the front part of the housing 12, when the lower part of this blade below the pintle pin 16 is retracted into a predetermined position to free the blade from engagement with the overlapped end portions 14 of the matrix band D.

In order to interconnect the slide with the upper end of the crimping blade 15 a leaf spring 38 is provided, and this spring has a pin 39 fixed thereto that may be removably inserted into a hole 40 fashioned in the crimping blade (see FIGS. 1 and 3), thus locking the block C to the supporting handle A in either open or closed positions of the operating handle F. Also, movement of the slide 20 will swing the crimping blade.

As shown in FIG. 6, a stop 41 projects laterally from the supporting handle A near the pintle pin 27, and the latter is used to attach the rear part of the leaf spring 38 to the slide 20. The stop limits upward swing of the leaf spring about the pintle pin 27, and the spring is biased toward the slide. The pin 39 may be disengaged from the hole 46) and placed on top of the blade 15, whereby the spring will automatically eject the clamping block C from the saddle 10.

It will be apparent that the operating handle F and the lever arm 26 define a toggle arrangement that is automatically locked when the operating handle is moved into closed position relative to the supporting handle A (see FIG. 4), Both of these handles are curved about their lengths toward the gingival aspect of the banded tooth E to thus afford an operator unobstructed field of vision in placing or removing the clamping block C relative to the patients tooth.

The arrangement of the handles A and F and the toggle arrangement between the handle F and the lever arm 26 will afford a tremendous mechanical advantage when swinging the blade 15 to crimp the matrix band D.

The dental instrument has been shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 for use in banding teeth in either the right or left lower quadrant of the patients mouth. Obviously, when teeth in the upper right or left quadrant are to be banded, the instrument would be turned upside down. The block C may be applied to either the lingual (tongue side) or the buccal (cheek side) of atooth.

In use, the clamping block C in the open position (FIG. 3) is simply slid over the occlusal edge of the matrix band D between the banded tooth E and the traction instrument or matrix retainer (not shown), used for tightening the band, being sure that the rounded or convex edge 32 of the clamping block housing 12 is always directed distally or away from the operator. The band is then tightened in the usual manner, and the clamping block C is locked in the saddle 10 by the pin 39 on the spring 38, while the blade is in open position. Closing of the handle F of the dental instrument securely clamps the matrix band ends 14 in position, and the operator then removes not only the dental instrument but also the traction instrument or matrix retainer, thereby providing the operator additional operating space and unobstructed visibility.

This procedure also permits multiple-banding in quadrant dentistry. In removing the clamping blocks C, the procedure, of course, is simply reversed, that is, the dental instrument is slid over the clamping block C in closed position, then the handle F is opened, the dental instrument serving as a handle or holding device. The locking 4 spring 38 is then swung away from the blade 15 so that the pin 39 is withdrawn from the hole 40 to a position above the crimping blade, and as the spring returns to its resting position, it then serves as an ejector for the entire clamping block C. The operator then proceeds to remove any additional clamping blocks that may have been used in the same manner.

I claim:

1. In a dental instrument with detachable matrix band clamping block:

(a) a supporting handle provided with a block-holding head at a forward end thereof, this head having a saddle extending thereinto from a gingival edge thereof;

(b) a detachable clamping block removably inserted into the saddle and having a housing formed with slots therein and into which overlapped end portions of a looped matrix band may be inserted;

(c) a crimping blade swingably secured to the housing and being movable to engage with the overlapped end portions of the band to form interlocking crimps therein, when the blade is swung in one direction, and the blade being movable in the opposite direction to free the band for removal from the head;

(d) a slide carried by the supporting handle and being movable toward and away from the head;

(e) means operable to interconnect the slide with the crimping blade so that movement of the former will swing the latter;

(f) an operating handle swingably attached to the sup porting handle for movements into open and closed positions relative thereto;

(g) and a lever arm interconnecting the operating handle with the slide so that movement of the former will actuate the latter.

2. The dental instrument with detachable matrix band clamping block, as set forth in claim 1;

(h) and in which the head on the supporting handle defines front and rear fingers that border the saddle, the front finger having a concave groove fashioned in its inner surface, and the rear finger having a slot extending therethrough;

(i) the housing of the clamping block being substantially U-shaped in horizontal section, defining a convex edge fitting into the concave groove of the front finger, and the crimping blade extending rearwardly through the slot of the rear finger and being guided by the walls of the slot, whereby the clamping block will be held in proper position in the saddle at all times.

3. The dental instrument with detachable matrix band clamping clock, as set forth in claim 1;

(h) and in which the crimping blade is provided with a limit stop located to engage with the housing of the clamping block, when this blade is retracted into a predetermined position to free the blade from engagement with the overlapped end portions of the band.

4. The dental instrument with detachable matrix band clamping block, as set forth in claim 4;

- (h) and in which the means operable to interconnect the slide with the crimping blade is provided by a leaf spring having a pin fixed thereto that may be removably inserted into a hole fashioned in the crimping blade, thus locking the block to the supporting handle in either open or closed positions of the operating handle.

5. The dental instrument with detachable matrix band clamping block, as set forth in claim 4;

(i) and in which the leaf spring is biased toward the slide, and the pin may be disengaged from the hole in the crimping blade and placed on top of the blade, whereby the spring will automatically eject the clamping block from the saddle.

5 6. The dental instrument with detachable matrix band clamping clock, as set forth in claim 1;

(h) and in which operating handle and the lever arm define a toggle arrangement that is automatically locked when the operating handle is moved into closed position relative to the supporting handle.

7. The dental instrument with detachable matrix band clamping block, as set forth in claim 6;

(i) and in which both of the handles are curved about their lengths toward the gingival aspect to thus afford an operator unobstructed field of vision in placing or removing the clamping block relative to patients tooth.

References Cited 19 LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

N. RUSHEFSKY, Assistant Examiner. 

